Bioengineered Chewing Gum Cuts HPV Levels in Saliva by Up to 93%, Penn Study Finds

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a bioengineered chewing gum that sharply reduced HPV and two types of bacteria linked to head and neck cancer in tests on patient oral samples — a promising step toward an affordable, accessible therapy.

The Findings

The gum, made from lablab beans, contains FRIL, a naturally occurring antiviral protein. In tests reported by ScienceDaily on August 4 and published in Scientific Reports, extracts from the gum lowered HPV levels by 93% in saliva samples and by 80% in oral rinse samples. The team, led by Henry Daniell of Penn's School of Dental Medicine, then engineered the gum to contain protegrin, an antimicrobial peptide: a single dose brought levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum — two bacteria that worsen oral cancer survival — down to almost zero.

Why It Matters

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is aggressive, and outcomes are poor when it is discovered late. Radiation therapy, the standard treatment, can reduce helpful bacteria while encouraging disease-causing yeast like Candida albicans. The Penn gum did the opposite: it targeted dangerous microbes while preserving the healthy oral microbiome.

"The global increase in oropharyngeal cancer is linked to HPV infection," Daniell said. "Our findings support the value of advancing these therapies to clinical trials as adjuvants with current treatments or as prophylaxis to prevent infection and transmission."

The Context

Lip and oral cavity cancer was the seventh leading cancer type in incidence and mortality worldwide among adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults in 2022, according to the researchers. If clinical trials succeed, the gum could become an adjunct to existing cancer treatments — or a preventive measure against infection and transmission.